Her Hero
by Shining Friendship
Summary: A late-night conversation with Starling City's green-hooded vigilante helps rebuild Laurel's faith in him…and inspires her to play a larger role in his cause.


**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything.

**A/N:** I've been tempted to write an Arrow/Laurel fic ever since I watched 1x04: An Innocent Man. _Arrow_ spoilers from _Entertainment Weekly _have recently stated that sometime after The Huntress/Helena Bertinelli two-episode arc is over, "the audience will continue seeing 'glimpses' of Laurel's badass side, […] seeing glimpses of her as the hero and—especially as her relationship with Arrow deepens—her seeing the benefits of working outside the law." With these _awesome _spoilers inspiring me, I decided to write this oneshot. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

"I don't suppose there's a chance you'd be willing to tear yourself from work and home long enough to go out with us tonight, is there?" Joanna De La Vega asked Laurel when she noticed her co-worker packing up for the day.

"Not even the slightest. I need to go over the Jenkins deposition with a fine tooth comb tonight before I appear in court tomorrow."

"You know, at the rate you're going, you're never going to meet someone new."

"Guess I should consider upgrading to a faster CPU, then, huh?" the cop's daughter quipped.

"Seriously, Laurel, you'll never meet the man of your dreams unless you get out there and have some fun."

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but Mr. Right is going to have to wait. Work comes first."

"All right, fine," the young woman sighed in defeat. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye."

After watching her friend leave the office, Laurel started putting her beige jacket on when she heard a buzzing sound from her cell phone, alerting her of a new text message. She picked up her phone and saw on the screen that the name and number were blocked. Curious, she opened the text and found a message that stated—

"_Meet me on the rooftop of your apartment building in one hour._"

Heart starting to race a little, the attorney instantly knew who sent her this message: The Hood. He had done it before and was probably going to ask for her help again.

Part of Laurel knew she shouldn't help someone who worked outside of the law to find justice. She shouldn't want to have anything to do with this vigilante after he almost beat that inmate to death for harming her. She called him a killer, and in the heat of the moment thought he was one. Yet once the incident was over and she had time to process everything that had happened that day, she realized something about him still intrigued her…still made her admire him for helping to save an innocent man's life. She remembered telling Oliver in court on the day of his arraignment that "he is actually trying to make a difference." She could still see the good in him, even after such a violent act of aggression. It was possible that The Hood could have grown attached to her during the brief time they spent together to save Peter Declan's life, which would mean his actions were seeded out of a fondness towards her. Laurel knew that must have been it, because for some strange reason she couldn't explain or ignore, she began to feel the same way about him as well…at least until she witnessed that horrific moment of rage and the lack of remorse in his eyes for committing the act.

After taking a minute to weigh her options, she finally made up her mind: She would see him again—but only for the sake of giving him one chance to explain his earlier actions to her.

* * *

One hour later Laurel opened the door that led out to the rooftop of her apartment building and, ignoring the sting of the cold night air against her skin, found The Hood standing ten yards away with his head tilted down so she couldn't see his entire face.

"You came," he commented as she began walking towards him.

"Only to give you a chance to explain why you nearly pummeled a man to death after he attacked me," she bitterly replied. "Although there probably isn't any excuse on the face of the earth that would justify what you did."

"I know nothing I say can make what I did justifiable."

"Then why call me here? Do you need my help to prove another convicted felon is actually innocent?"

"I still wanted to apologize for my actions. I never meant to go that far."

"You nearly beat a man to death in front of me and felt no remorse whatsoever while doing it. Is that how you always react when damsels in distress are targeted? You just—"

"Not with all of them," he interjected. "Only with you, Laurel."

Trying not to be affected by his words, she wouldn't allow herself to show her true emotions in front of him. Instead, she continued staring down the shadowy figure, never faltering for a second.

"I hardly want to be the reason why your vigilante acts turn you into a cold-blooded killer. Besides, I don't need you to play my knight in shining armor. I know how to take care of myself."

"I know you do."

"Exactly how much _do_ you know about me? Should stalking be added to the rap sheet Starling City PD will never have on you?"

"I watch over the people I care about. It's how I feel close to them."

"And what makes me so special that you feel the need to be my personal guardian angel?"

"You care about the lives of others. I admire your bravery to do what's right. Most people in this city lost interest in doing that a long time ago."

"That doesn't fully answer my question. Peter Declan is a free man now, and yet you're still seeking me out."

"You still came," he countered. "Perhaps the person you should really be questioning is yourself."

Rendered speechless, Laurel knew he could sense the bond that she felt between them. Despite not knowing anything real about this green-hooded vigilante—other than his nonstop mission to clean up the corruption terrorizing their city—there was a spark between them. No matter how bizarre the scenario might sound to others, no matter how wrong people like her father would see it, she couldn't deny that they somehow shared a deep connection. It was shrouded with secrecy, with intensity she had never felt with anyone before—not even Oliver. This mysterious person went against everything the law taught her to believe in, yet she knew they were fighting for the same cause...just in different ways.

"I believe what you're doing is for the greater good, but at the same time I also have to wonder how I can trust you again after what I saw you do to that inmate. If I hadn't stopped you when I did…"

"I would have killed him."

"That would have made you a murderer. I don't think that's what you are, so why did you do it?"

Turning his head away so he wouldn't look at her, The Hood quietly responded, "Because the thought of anyone hurting you was too much for me to bear."

Touched by his words, she took a few steps closer to him. "You seem to care so much about me, yet I don't even know who you are."

"You know me better than you think you do, Laurel. You wouldn't have come here tonight if you didn't."

"Will I ever see your face or know your real name?"

"Until the city is no longer being poisoned by people who manipulate and scheme their way to the top, this is as close as we can be."

The Hood was trying to keep her out of harm's way by not letting her get too close. He was probably afraid that his enemies would use her as leverage if they ever found out he had personal ties, people he truly cared for. As much as she wanted to know more about his life, his decision to keep her in the dark for the time being was one of the greatest acts of kindness she had ever seen. He was nothing like the menace her father constantly made him out to be. He had a heart and a conscience. He was remorseful for nearly beating that man to death in front of her. He was a guardian angel sent here to right the wrongs of Starling City.

"I want to continue helping your cause," she spoke out in a moment of haste, even surprising herself. "You showed me with Peter Declan's case that the law doesn't always fix everything. I want to do more to bring justice to our city."

"You will in time, I promise."

His assurance that they would work together again brought a smile to her lips. Just knowing that they would continue to meet, that he would continue turning to her for help with the legal system whenever need be, made her heart race with anticipation. Although the impulsive decision to lend her support in such a contentious quest shocked the brunette, she still welcomed the chance to do more. She knew that by working with him, she would be helping the city—perhaps even _saving_ the city from itself.

"I'm sorry for any pain I may have caused you, Laurel. I hope I never disappoint you again."

"You won't because I have faith in you. No matter what anyone says, I know what you're doing is right."

He started walking around her until he faced her backside. She could feel his eyes on her, gazing at her with such fixation that it caused a tingling sensation to course throughout her entire body.

"I care for you more than you will ever know, Laurel, and I will always be there to protect you."

"I believe you," she softly whispered.

Turning around so he could see the truth in her eyes, the attorney was almost stunned to find The Hood gone…yet his disappearance hardly discouraged her. He may have left her side and vanished into thin air without a single trace, just as he always did, but she wasn't really alone. He was still watching her…admiring her from afar because he was a hero….

Because he was _her_ hero.


End file.
